LONDON -- Liverpool beat Arsenal 4-3 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in an enthralling encounter during the opening weekend of the Premier League.
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Philippe Coutinho score a brace and a goal each from Adam Lallana and Sadio Mane put Liverpool 4-1 up after Theo Walcott had given Arsenal the lead, yet a late surge came from the Gunners as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers got on the score sheet in a wild game in north London which ended in Jurgen Klopp’s side winning the seven-goal thriller.
Here’s a mark out of 10 for each player on the pitch.
Arsenal
Petr Cech - 6 - Couldn’t stop the goals and did whatever he had to with ease.
Hector Bellerin - 5 - Caught out defensively at times and failed to get forward as much as he usually does.
Rob Holding - 6 - Tried to hold things together but started to drop deeper and deeper after reading the game well early on.
Calum Chambers - 5 - Played midfielders into trouble time and time again. Scored but not a great display.
Nacho Monreal - 5 - Tried to support attacking players but spent most of his time trying to stop Sadio Mane. That didn’t go well for him.
Mohamed Elneny - 5 - Started well but was put under pressure on the ball by his center backs.
Francis Coquelin - 6 - Won the ball back for Walcott’s opener and was his usual combative self.
Alex Iwobi - 5 - Had a few good runs in first half but hooked off in the second half with a thigh injury.
Theo Walcott - 7 - Mixed bag for Walcott who missed a PK then 69 seconds later scored. Drifted in and out of the game.
Aaron Ramsey - 6 - Tried to influence the game from central attacking area and then suffered a hamstring injury.
Alexis Sanchez - 6 - Looked a little lost up to on his own in a central role. Much better when drifting out wide to his natural position.
Subs: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 7 - Got a goal and looked to have plenty of drive and power in the final third; Granit Xhaka - 5 - No real time to influence the game; Santi Cazorla - 6 - Did little wrong but skied an effort over the bar from the edge of the box.
Liverpool
Simon Mignolet - 6 - Saved Walcott’s PK but came for a few crosses he didn’t need to and always makes defenders nervy.
Nathaniel Clyne - 6 - Got better as game wore on. Still some issues defensively but his brilliant cross set up Coutinho’s second goal.
Dejan Lovren - 6 - Arsenal’s second goal deflected in off him but overall stopped the threat of Sanchez.
Ragnar Klaven - 6 - A solid outing. His distribution needs work but he just sticks to defending and clearing balls.
Alberto Moreno - 3 - Wretched outing highlighted by a horror two-minute spell in first half as he gave away a PK and let Walcott in to score.
Georginio Wijnaldum - 6 - Played in an unfamiliar holding role alongside Henderson and struggled on the ball in first half. Improved in second half and wonderful cross set up Lallana to put Liverpool ahead.
Jordan Henderson - 6 - Drove Liverpool on from midfield and launched himself into tackles.
Adam Lallana - 7 - Classy finish for his goal to put Liverpool 2-1 up and linked up well with Mane, Coutinho and Firmino.
Sadio Mane - 8 - His pace is terifying for opposition defenders and he belted in an absolute screamer to make it 4-1.
Philippe Coutinho - 8 - Scored a beauty of a free kick and a clever flick to put Liverpool 3-1 up. Always threatening in the box.
Roberto Firmino - 6 - Lashed one effort just wide in the second half. Often took one touch too many.
Subs: Emre Can - 6 - Helped Liverpool shore things up a little in midfield; Divock Origi - 5 - Only had 15 minutes and hardly touched the ball; Kevin Stewart - N/A - Played seven minutes near the end.